Tag: Antony David Davies
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Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell (1877–1918), Science, Service, and a Life of Exceptional Promise
Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell stands out within my family history as a figure whose life moved far beyond the rural landscapes of Mid Wales into the international worlds of science, medicine, and imperial service. Though his career was cut short by the First World War, the scale of his intellectual achievement, and the geographical breadth…
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Why I Left The Range
By Antony David Davies, FRSA FRAS AFRHistS MCMI MIoL When I finally received the documents from my Subject Access Request, this is how The Range described my departure: “Anthony(sp) left our store with immediate effect, with no communication to anybody in store, only texting the store manager, just left his store keys on the manager’s…
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“My Relations Are Part of a Rich Tapestry of Welsh Heritage” — My Feature in Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
I’m delighted to share that my family history research has been featured in the latest issue of Who Do You Think You Are? magazine. The article, written by Claire Vaughan, explores my decades-long journey tracing my Welsh roots — from hill farmers and Calvinist ministers to a musical icon and a self-taught solicitor — all…
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Sir Philip Magnus-Allcroft: The Gentleman Who Inspired a Historian
When I trace the beginnings of my love of history, I always return to one figure — Sir Philip Magnus-Allcroft of Stokesay Court, the elderly baronet who, quite unknowingly, set a child on the path to becoming a historian. I met him in the great Shropshire house that dominated my early world. He would summon…
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John Davies of Erglodd (1821–1887): “Apostol y Plant” and the Quiet Power of Faithful Service
In the upland heart of north Cardiganshire, where the hills of Taliesin and Talybont cradle the Dyfi valley, the life of John Davies of Erglodd stands as a shining example of rural Welsh piety, service, and enduring influence. Known in his lifetime as “Apostol y Plant” – the Children’s Apostle – he was celebrated for…
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When the Last Prince Hid in Our Hills: A Family Legend That Still Haunts Wales
High in the forgotten uplands of Montgomeryshire, where bracken folds over ancient sheep paths and the hills roll unbroken into silence, there stands a farmhouse my family still speaks of in reverent tones. Its name is Esgair Llywelyn — Llywelyn’s Ridge. Even now, the place endures. Weathered, empty, but defiantly upright. Whitewashed stone walls streaked…
